Dancing with Bacon
by Ambrele Wildfire
Summary: RaAk/RY? Ryoga dreams of Akane,and now these crazy barrettes he gave her everyone wants! Cologne,the Kunos, even the Dragon Lords of Japan all stand in his way.The Martial Arts Dance Off has begun and a new "tail" of a visitor gets Ryoga's heart thumping
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I am not the owner of Ranma ½ though I do enjoy my waffles with honey

Takahashi-san is an inspiration but not my face in the mirror *scawwy**

So therefore, Please don't take me away to the funny farm!!!NOO oooo

Ryoga worked hard to get Akane the glowing blue Barrettes that suddenly everybody seems to be wanting…Cologne, the Kunos, even the Dragon Lords of Japan!! With the local Martial Arts Dance off coming up and a strange new visitor to the Tendo Dojo (who seems to have a tail), will it ever be the end of the curses?

Dancing with Bacon

**Somewhere in Northern Japan**

"It's only a couple hundred yen, son. She'll love them."

Golden eyes lit up underneath a shock of black hair. Ryoga Hibiki's gaze snapped up to look at the grinning vendor.

"Who..h-..how did you know?"

The man leaned in, "You've been staring at them for ten minutes. Safe to say it's for a lady friend of yours."  

He smiled and slid back the glass panel. He brought out into the open a pair of blue barrettes, shaped in the forms of twisted, interlocking knots. Ryoga knew them to be based on Celtic art, being accidentally shipped to that side of the world when he was ten.

His habit of getting lost could sometimes be very educating. But annoying. And he tried so hard to actually show up on time.

 The vendor eyed his yellow bandana and smoothed shaven features. 

"Though on the other hand…. son, they ain't your color."

Ryoga started to stuttered a bit about how masculine he was and of COURSE they weren't for him but the vendor waved him quiet.

"S'Ok, son I believe you.  Well, kid, these aren't your normal barrettes…y'see, they are specially formulated and tested by Tibetan Llama flame dancers…. Hey…HEY!.Where you going?"

The lost boy stiffened as he sensed a rip off speech coming in. Money was hard to come by.   Blasting through city walls with the Bakusai-ten-ketsu Breaking Point technique didn't make people too inclined to hire him. He was stuck working a few jobs that required the super strength he had learned for fighting Ranma, even one as embarrassing as a Lingerie Unloader. He was so glad the others never knew. Who could have known panties were so heavy? 

They had fired him after nose bleeding over the products.

He couldn't help it, they were so….. lacy.

Ryoga's ripped frame tensed at the opening lines the vendor threw out and he quickly turned on heel and started to march off. 

Llama flame dancers…peh…..they lived in Guam, not Tibet.

 "I don't have time for fake magic anythings or sure to win love charms." Ryoga rumbled.

It was a lie. He had tried so many he lost count. He cursed the companies and the packaging, and everything else he could "sqwee" at when they always failed to win over his one desire.  Ryoga's lips curved in a small smile as he marched off at the thought of her gentle head massages when he was in that cursed pig form. 

Akane Tendo, goddess of cheerful smiles and the mallet of doom.  Ranma could insult all he wanted about his "macho" supposed "fiancée."  Akane was a fiery soul, in a beautiful, black haired frame and needed a man with strength beside her.

_Akane, if only you could tell me what I know is in your heart_

Akane was kind, and sweet even to a little pig.  He had to admit the scary temper did kind of turn him on, when it wasn't directed at him. And when she slept……OOooo

"No, no, son, you've got it all wrong! These are for bringing out the mysteries of the female mind!!" 

Ryoga stopped and stared at his shadow in the dusty road. A bead of sweat trickled down under his open collar shirt and he faced the vendor, who was now shouting from on top of the cart.

Ryoga unclenched his fists and and reached into his pocket to count the money. For Akane….

He'd do anything.

He sighed and turned back to the cart……and found out it wasn't there.

"Nani?" His head swiveled around frantically, sweat breaking out on his skin.

"Hey, over here!!"

"Where? WHERE??" He started to run around, blasting trees and other carts out of his way. The screaming of the other cart owners didn't faze him, he was used to it. 

**BOOM** SCREECH** no NO Please Not my shop **BOOM** AHHHHHH

"LEFT! LEFT!! Can't you see me??! Why are you going the wrong way?!"

"Stop THROWING things at me!!" Ryoga bellowed as the little box bounced off his thick skull.

It took him twenty minutes to get back to the man, even with the vendor screaming directions from the top of the cart, throwing different items at the lost boy's head while he navigated his way through fires, piles of rubble and fleeing people.

It was always the same ending to leaving a town. Ryoga tried to tune out all the rest of the shrieking and focused in on the man with Akane's present.

"LEFT! RIGHT!! Can't you SEE ??! Take off that bandana!! I think its suffocating your BRAIN!!!" The vendor was turning purple as he hopped angrily up and down like a squat toad.

"You just set FIRE to Keiko's SHOP!!! WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO??!!"

"Just sell me the barrettes" Ryoga grumbled. He went up to the counter and pushed over the money.  **CRACK** The vendor threw the bag at him and sat down in a huff behind the wheel.

"Now remember, she must have them for a week and you'll soon know all her thoughts, everything going on in her head…."

Her thoughts. OOOoooo. Ryoga shuddered with glee, surrounded in smoking ruin. He was sure the doorway had been put before him. After many months, this would be the gift that gives back. He could almost feel Akane in his arms, smell her sweet sweatband.

His nose started to trickle a little blood.

"…… for she won't be able to say any lies." 

The man cocked his eye at the young man grinning in front of him. 

This was perfect. Ryoga wouldn't be able to upset her like that pervert Ranma. HE always told the truth….eventually. And now Akane could shake off the rein of the suppressive Ranma and run dazzling in the sunlight to him.

**Bells and flower petals start to fall in the back, the music swells…**

"Neither will you be able to say any untruths," 

The smile vanished on Ryoga's face **and the flower petals went up in smoke**

"…or anyone else for that matter around her." The man finished.

"No lies?" Ryoga scratched his head. There was something wrong with this and he couldn't place it. Just what was it…?

 The vendor shook his head and sighed as he turned over the cart's vehicle engine "And don't let them touch all the elements in one day. You won't like it."

Ryoga wiggled his nose in confusion. Ok, now this was weird.  "Elements?"

"Jeez, son. You've about the intelligence gifted to a turnip." Ryoga bristled and his aura flared up but the vendor didn't notice. "They can't be exposed to water, air, metal, earth…the stuff called fire too….oh you know them." The man drove off in a cloud of ash.

Ryoga took out the barrettes out again and traced the outer knot over with his calloused thumb.

He fumbled for the directions in the barrettes package..

"WELCOME" the red letters loudly proclaimed " to the WORLD OF TRUTH. TO ACTIVATE, PLEASE PRESS THE POUND SYMBOL WITH YOUR NOSE NOW"

Ryoga muttered the incantation, bought a chicken and shook it at a fat lady.  After getting slapped senseless, he took the three hairs from the next passing cat he saw. 

 After getting new scars on his tongue, his face and his chest, he took the hairs, along with amerikaijin stuff called "Mac and Cheese" and burned them with a magnifying glass.

 And was rewarded when the barrettes glowed blue in the now rising moonlight. The light spread a path before him, igniting the ground and ending in the horizon.

He looked up with determination as the wind whipped his gi around his legs.  

_Soon Ranma….Akane will know you for what you really are_

He tucked them inside his backpack and headed for Nerima.

………..

***Seven weeks later***

A little black pig crawls past the border line of Nerima in the pouring cold rain. Ryoga mustn't stop moving, otherwise someone could mistake him for a dropped piece of pork.

Then he would wake up to the warm scent…..of his flesh being seared in soy.

In his teeth is the strap for the backpack and the bag of Akane's present, dragged all these miles, a show of his devotion….or his lockjaw.

"I will stop by behind Ucchan's,"he trembled in the cold "She always has hot water going for Ranma, he won't miss it."

Step by step, focused in on each tightening moment, Ryoga made his way up the back kitchen stairs and into the laundry room.  He ran into a tiny figure dressed in black furiously stuffing something into a little sack.

He sqweed and the figure cackled and lost in the resulting explosion, Ryoga didn't notice the figure shifting through his pack.  After pocketing the package, the money and some panties left over from his last job, the shadow vanished.

…….

"What a haul! Oh what a haul!!"  Cackling echoed down the hallways of the Tendo Dojo.

Happosai went starry-eyed as the tears that only the truly demented can shed fell onto his little bandit outfit.

 "So...lacy..." as he lifted the panties one by one of no doubt now furious young females across Nerima to be inspected and felt by our favorite old creep. "So..soft.."

"Eh?, I forgot about this.." He shook the package he pulled out of his bag and held it p to the light. He stared as a blue glow started to emanate. "I wonder…ack!"

Ranma promptly ground the old lechers face into the dojo floor.  In his heroic pose, wearing those boxers that screamed 'Ranma Ranma!' he tossed his pigtail over his broad shoulder, while nonchalantly looking over the envelope he had snatched from Happosai.  His blue eyes squinted and he didn't even notice the attachment he had accidentally picked up. That old pervert was always stealing stuff, but sometimes it was useful.

"Got what, you old pervert, you stealing someone's mail too?" Ranma winced as Happosai started to gnaw on his foot. "Stop that!"

The short bundle of whiskered lecherous intentions stopped and a glint came to his steely eye. Ranma took up a defensive posture as Happosai cackled again "Ranma, my boy, you've got to learn to respect your master before you start stealing secrets." He whipped out a happy bomb.

With happy bomb raised, it looked like he would never know the contents of the package, until flying out of mallet-space, came Akane! Damn that macho female!

Though in that instant where he turned and tried to bring up his defense, he had to admit, she had great form.

**WHACK**THUD**

"RANMA!! YOU PERVERT!!What are you doing with MY Panties!!??" Akane arched the mallet above her head and seemed to merge it with Ranma's skull. ***WHACK**

"Wha—wha—wha!! WHAT are you TALKING about, MACHO GIRL!?!" Ranma clung to the ceiling support, brain swelling and looked down at what was held in his hand.

There lay the little duck patterned offenders, in gentle pink.

 He could feel his face turn chalk white.

 "No!" His head snapped up, as panic streaked across his face "It wasn't me!!!NO!" 

He struggled to shake them off but they stuck to his hand like a second skin. Confusion and sheer fear lanced through him as Ranma furiously tried to get them off.

But they kept on sticking!

"WHY ME?!?!"

"GIVE THEM BACK!!"  ***CLANG**

"That's it, my boy" Happosai called while stuffing the panties back into his bag "Dodge, dodge…slide, good!!"

"There's another bunch of money burned for a new hallway." Nabiki muttered from the kitchen table. 

Wailing noises and splashing could be heard from the outer garden.

Kasumi calmly placed her plate down and sighed as another crash was heard. "And the outer wall. Will they ever just let things be?"

Nabiki smirked " It's not good for business of they do."


	2. Ranma's Daily Rollar Coaster

........................................

Disclaimer: I am Not rumiko takahashi nor do i claim to fame any of these characters besides Keria. hah! all miney mine mine after that!

Author's note' : while this is going to be mostly a ryoga base story, i have to get into the swing of things again since ive been kicking around this story like a hot bean can for about two years. its all written in my head people, all done. hence the Ranma 2nd chappie. Flames are okay! enjoy

The Tendo Dojo 0235  
  
The cold sounds of the dojo creaking kept Ranma awake, leaving him blinking at the ceiling. Throbbing whenever he shifted his head, a purple bruise bulged from the blue-black strands. It was the only thing out of place on the boy's gracefully powerful frame.  
  
The blue of the night cast a hazy shadow on the familiar surrounding of his room.  
  
"Hhhhmmmph..." He stretched, reveling in that sore muscle tension that complains days after a great workout. It burned and felt awesome.  
  
He loved feeling like he was a human bungee cord.  
  
Even though Ranma trained hard every day, there was something about when he fended off that psycho Akane that made him feel more fluid. More wired. It was like...like reaching out quickly to snag a butterfly but without closing all the way to crush it. Hmmm, Akane's like a butterfly...She was...  
  
His blue eyes stared at the ceiling while he shifted his arms overhead. A small smile played at his lips as he allowed snippets of memory to cross his mind. One would grin just at the wonder and gentle expression on this hardened boy's face.  
  
She was....  
  
He felt his eyes glaze over, while his left eyebrow twitched.  
  
_She_ was down there. _Trying_ to train. Feh. Almost c-ca....Almost c-c-aaaaatttt  
  
.......  
  
Almost bull-like in her movements, Ranma could picture her dragging her elbow out so her forward punches were slow, not shifting when needing to, not sitting low enough.  
  
Perfecting her form so that she can remain the reigning champion of Punches Given to the Misunderstood Martial Artists of Nerima. Feh.  
  
She never hit Ryoga. Of course, Ranma was of the opinion that the Lost Boy could really, really get into it if she did start smacking him up, down and crossways. Ryoga was a glutton for pain.  
  
And Akane was a virtual _shopping mall_ open 24/7, available all over Japan for your pain and suffering needs.  
  
_Stupid....So stupid...Why does she always think that I'm the pervert? I didn' do nothin, Thick headed girl. What an ice queen_.  
  
He could hear the short huffs of breath, her feet stomping on the floor. Every second, she got louder and louder. A moment of silence, and a kick hit the bag. Ranma shifted around in the bed, squeezing over as his pop did a hostile, drooling take over of Ranma's sheets.  
  
_Ack, greedy bedsheet stealer. Akane, why can't you go to sleep? Cause she's a freak of nature, that's what. She's not going to get any better, no matter how hard she tries...  
_  
Ranma knew this with a certainty but inwardly he lied about the reasons. Yeah, she stunk. But it wasn't because she was inherently bad. Inside he knew she never changed up her routine and that was her downfall.  
  
In his obvious way, he did point this out to her. What he meant to say was "_Hey, that was a good stance shift but maybe you should snap back your hip so you can snap out better. Want me to show you how to do it?"  
_  
His face burned crimson in the night, thinking of his anticipation in sliding his hand next to her hip and moving with it as he demonstrated. It would have thrust out in a more efficient punch and he wanted to see that wonder in her eyes when she realized she could actually be better. Her legs were so strong and ...and...female....Yeah, she was powerful.  
  
_In a tomboy, I hate everything that is MALE kinda way though_  
  
But smooth as that scene had been in his mind, she had glanced at him, determination flashing in her eyes.  
  
He felt overwhelmed as that aggressive stare bore into him. It seemed to go right through him, even for that brief second. He didn't even notice the slight softening her face got when she was done with her kata and the shy tone she took when she asked if he wanted to share the dojo.  
  
That brown eyed stare had made him feel faint and scared and..and proud of her at the same time. He didn't like that mix of feeling. No, not at all. His ego had reared its ugly head.  
  
It was then Ranma felt something mildly salty in his mouth and he snapped out of his glazed state to realize he was swallowing his pillow. And half his gi.  
  
Yummy.  
  
He laid it down next to his pop, who quickly snatched that to his chest as well.  
  
Just thinking about what he did next made him wish he could've run fast enough to turn back time and duct taped his mouth shut. He meant SHUT. Like everytime he did something that catered to his ego.  
  
Well, what he thought to say half came out. Just the wrong half.  
  
_"Want me to show you how to do it?" Jeez, I was trying to be helpful. Why didn' she give me a chance to say the rest? She didn' hafta go all...icicle on me and bean me on the head._  
  
Akane, stubborn in her little ways, would never go beyond her bad practice habits. He fumed at this. Fumed at himself, but mostly _her_ for making him feel like he was a bad teacher.  
  
He was all flustered, all the freaking time. But noone could ever tell. Ranma kept his cocky attitude up like a blanket to keep in how very unsure of himself he was around her. His breathing shallowed when he thought of her brown eyes snapping.  
  
He was hungry so it was time to raid the kitchen.  
  
Ranma sighed and pushed himself up, lower back muscles screaming at him and he made his way to the other end of the house.  
  
Past the rubble and the sounds of Nabiki wheezing. He had half a mind to take pictures of her dribbling away in dreamland and sell them for 6,000 yen. He put that thought away for later.  
  
Kasumi worked by candlelight in the kitchen sink. He yawned a greeting and was rewarded with her serene smile. He smiled back and started to rummage around in the fridge. She was a mother figure, definitely, always keeping hot water for him, tending to the hysterical Soun Tendo's rantings.  
  
He sat at the table, scarffing up three bowls of udon, listening to the clink of the dishes in the soapy water and further onward, Akane smacking the living daylights out of something wooden.  
  
Kasumi was cool, she never pushed conversation on anyone. She was perfectly happy to let you sit there and do your own thing. Peaceful, delicate, demure.  
  
_Totally not Akane_  
  
"Ranma, will you be here on Wednesday? I do hope you don't plan on going on a training mission." Kasumi's soft voice lilted.  
  
"Sure, Kasumi, do you need me to help out chores?" He could hardly refuse, he did live here. Even if his pop was a lazy, good for nuthun didn't mean he had to be.  
  
"We are having a party for Akane, she's gotten such excellent grades this term. Daddy would like to reward her." Her eyes shined proudly as Ranma suppressed a sullen frown. His grades hadn't been that spectacular due the all the fighting.  
  
"Presents, cake, the whole bit since her last birthday was rather...ahem...put into disarray." She shook her hands free of the suds and started to wipe clean the bowls.  
  
Ranma could hazard a million guesses why that event had been messed up.  
  
_With this family's luck, I'm surprised if they'd have peace at their funerals_  
  
Quickly, Kasumi whipped out a dozen cook books. "You're her fiancee, which cake do you think she would like? This one? Or this one? Or how about this? OOOOoo I like this one!" She was whipping out pages and pictures faster than a hurricane.  
  
Ranma broke out in hives from the mention of "fiancee." Now he was looking wildly for a way out.  
  
"Uh....uh..." he stuttered. Ah, no escape. "How about..."  
  
A cracking noise and a painful exclaimation caught his attention.  
  
_Wha..?_ He was on his feet, ripping from his udon and out the window before he could even register that it was_ Akane_ who yelped.  
  
He jumped up on the roof, grinning to himself at his sneaky exit when he saw the hole in the outer wall, big enough to drive a car through.  
  
_That was Akane's doing!  
_  
He grinned even more and hopped his way down the rooftop.  
  
He slunk to the dojo window and slid down to take a peek.  
  
Ranma's heart fell when he saw her on the floor. To him, it was obvious, like so many other things. She tried to do a technique and the punching bag twisted off the hook, by freak accident bringing the wooden frame crashing down on her leg. The udon unsettled in his stomach as he saw the frame covering her ankle.  
  
If it happened to him, he would have just leaped back but she probably couldn't react fast enough. She was ....almost..... crying. What?  
  
_Wow, she can deal with a lot of pain,  
_  
He didn't understand why she had a unspilt lining of tears in her eyes.  
  
Any female crying was blackmail.  
  
He padded softly in, and stood behind her while she pushed the frame off of her with her other foot. She looked so...hurt. Not physically though, _emotionally_, she was like a kitten in a puddle. Words were lost as he gingerly knelt down and started to reach out to pick her up.  
  
_Better keep an arm up incase she wants to freak out on me. She hasn't even heard me behind her. Silly girl, you gotta always be on alert.  
_  
He was inches away from her, from her hair. He could smell the sweat but it was mixed with something sweet and coppery and Akane. It was all her. Ranma swallowed as he closed the gap with his fingers, expecting the mallet to materialize adding another bump to his lumpy head. It was a saving factor that he had so much hair.  
  
Akane jumped up and Ranma clutched to a ceiling support, wincing.

_Why does she always DO that?! I gotta pee so baaaadd now...  
_  
He watched her with open concern as she took a few halting steps. The hesitation in her movements told Ranma that yup, it was a sprained ankle.  
  
He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. _She's a bull, not to have a broken leg from that!  
  
_It was good that she was going to bed now, ice and a visit to Dr. Tofu in the morning would do her much good.  
  
He'd have to carry her to school tomorrow. And back. That wasn't so bad, he'd snatched her away from monsters and death before. The smug grin on his face contrasted with the flash of red on his cheeks.  
  
He'd get to hold her close, she'd have to hang onto him with those tiny hands that were bunched up at her sides right now. He'd have to be gentle. Oh yeah, like catching a butterfly. He had the tiniest hope dawn in his mind that maybe she could leave it up to him for once instead of fighting him on everything including the color of the sky.  
  
Maybe he could walk instead of run. Ranma tangled his words together trying to think of things to say when she was resting in his arms tomorrow.  
  
_"Hey, when your ankle gets better, let's go over kicks...you've got pretty good balance...just not like me haha!"_  
  
_"I used to be a klutz too, till my dad made me walk around the house on top of wine glasses. You know my pop, what a nutcase"  
_  
_"Sea water helps stuff like this. The beach is opening soon, wanna go?"_  
  
_"Heard you got good grades, you smartie pants. Could you help me with mine?_  
  
_......I could practice with you........"  
_  
But Akane stopped in the middle of the dojo and stood there.  
  
The whole house focused in on her, the feeling of everything collecting made Ranma glance around to see who was watching. The eerie silence that permeated he recognized from his own training.  
  
It was the sound of someone not giving in.  
  
Breeze from another hole in the wall _hey, that was all Akane there_ lifted her gi and she took another stance. Same flaws, Ranma noted but still pretty good. He took out his tongue and held it between his fingers. He dare not speak.  
  
A knot turned over in his stomach and he held his breath as he took in her petite profile, her form, her bangs swirling around those eyes you could fall into.  
  
The tears had been replaced with that cold sheer grit, take no prisoners look that made him want to sag off the wooden beam.  
  
It shot like an arrow through the invisible opponent she now fought with growing speed. When she was furious at him, for only God and his sense of humor knows why, he had to stare down that hardened gaze. The change was incredible, from fluffy cuteness and smiles to an avalanche rushing headlong at you.  
  
Can't move, can't speak coherent. Can't do anything but fight back.  
  
_How does she do that? Why? I would have picked her up...she's so stubborn. Stupid, Stupid! Something wrong with me, huh? Don't think I can pick up lil' ol' you, eh?  
_  
He felt irrationally frustrated again, this time for getting rejected before he even offered to help.  
  
_Why don't you need me?  
_  
Remembering his half-eaten pillow, he pulled out his tongue even more to prevent any words from even taking one step out his big, fat mouth.  
  
As things go, Akane's perfect timing caught Ranma making a face at her while she turned around. She startled and stood there, then balled up her hands in pain and fury.  
  
"Raaaannnmaaaaa!!!!whatreyou. HEY!! " He cut her off before the mallet came at him.  
  
_whoosh _Ranma's ego couldn't take another hit so he swung down and snatched her up, tossed her over his shoulder and high tailed it to her room.  
  
She did that famous dog whistle shriek that assaulted his ears as he pounded down the hallway with her in tow. She wasn't making it easy for him, biting, hitting him, screaming insults. But the fear and uncertainty behind her words cut him deeper than he cared to admit.  
  
"PERVERT, where are you taking me?!?!" Ranma, Put me down!! I said down!!! STOP IT!! Raaaannnmmmaaaa!!!"  
  
She kicked at him with the newly sprained ankle, crying out when a flash of pain froze her train of insults. Ranma took this as a golden opportunity to unpull his tongue and stick his foot in.  
  
"You were screwing yourself up! I can't sleep with all the thudding and crashin' around! Stupid girl!!"  
  
_I saw your ankle go..  
_  
"In middle of the night practicing! Stupid! Why don't open your eyes.."  
  
_...And see that I want to help you  
_  
"And see that you need to let others SLEEP!!"  
  
_As well as YOURSELF, why don't you UNDERSTAND...  
  
_"Practicing won't get your thick skull, lamebrain body any better!!"  
  
_You need to rest and I'm so worried you'll burn yourself out._  
  
"What are you doing?! Put me down!! I don't have to listen to you, you macho jerk!!" She was still fighting, even as he ran down the hallway and he held her close. It suffused him with a sense of purpose. It made him feel warm.  
  
Even though he was screaming in her ear like a jet plane.  
  
"Shut up and stop babbling!! I saw you fall..."  
  
_and I saw you get up,  
_  
"...which such a" _stubborn_ "stupid" _determined _"look on your face!"  
  
_the fire in your soul...._  
  
"Will never get any brighter, will you?"  
  
He was glad he couldn't see her face, those eyes, because his backside became scorched from her fury. As his gi started to smoke, he rushed the corner and threw her on her bed.  
  
As his ki went thunderous, Ranma called upon the Secret Binding Spell of the Saotome Clan! and as the blurs went back and forth, he felt satisfaction seeing it completed.  
  
Great, she was duct taped to the bed.  
  
He meet her gaze for gaze, his steely blue eyes chipped with metal, hers, a mixture of ice so hot it burned. Resisting the urge to swallow that lacy pillow next to her head, Ranma turned on heel and slammed the door. Ignoring the wailing, he turned to head to the kitchen for more udon.  
  
P-chan was growling at him from the stairway.  
  
"Don't even think about it, _porkchop_. You're not going in there to make her feel better."  
  
Holding himself from shaking, his arm lashed out and threw Ryoga into the cold pond. He sat there shivering for a bit then sighed.  
  
Kasumi flickered her gaze from the stack of drying dishes to Ranma. Silently, resting on the counter, she had placed ice packs and a compress. The hopeful look in her eyes made Ranma furious with the whole thing. She didn't look at the torn boy in front of the tray.  
  
_Such potential for masculine caring. Do real men back down like this?  
_  
He sighed again and made his way back upstairs.  
  
Ranma stood at the doorway, acute ears straining for any sound coming from the brunette within. There, he heard, muffled crying. He felt his resolve buckle yet he remembered how swollen her ankle was at the dojo. The broken bits of frame on the floor.  
  
Saotomes did not back down. Yet was this backing down? It took more strength to open that door than to move a mountain or fight a thousand Kunos. He put on his warface and entered the room.  
  
She tried to sit up, fresh tears streaking her face. Akane's room was disgustingly girly, mismatched for the tomboy presence she always maintained. It had....fringe ..and lace and was pink.  
  
"What, come to kick me while I'm down, Ranma?" Her voice wasn't the powerful, commanding, harshly insulting shriek it was earlier. The one that cut him was this broken sob, almost suppressed but unsuccessful, in the back of her throat. His own throat burned, wanting to scream at her just to see that terrible fury back in her.  
  
He bit his tongue and didn't say anything.  
  
"Get out of here, macho jerk."she whispered.  
  
Tears welled up blurring her vision and he noted her wince as she transferred her ankle's position. His heart hurt from all the rollar coaster rides it had gone through today.  
  
His tongue felt huge from biting it so hard, it was almost drying out. He went over to her bed side and just as she lashed out to bite him, he took her ankle and stroked it.  
  
_If I can only...just give me a chance. Obstinate girl.  
_  
He sat there trembling inside as that fire lit back up in her eyes. Silent, finally, Akane's young face was a mishmash of emotions. Primarily, confusion wrinkled up her nose and drew her eyebrows together.  
  
Yeah , he could sympathize with that.  
  
Ranma felt his face go stone hard but he didn't have to force his fingers to be gentle. He tightly wrapped the compress and the ice around her ankle, easing it onto a pillow. He looked anywhere but at her. His eyes fell on her body underneath his duct tape, the posters, the parting of her lips in surprise and pain.  
  
His tongue was going to never work again.  
  
_Yup, no problem Akane, I'll just learn sign language because I'm trying so hard NOT to scream at you again by gnawing on my own flesh..  
_  
He was done dressing her injury but he kept stroking it gently, like soothing a hurt animal. He was awed at himself for going to so. He could almost see the mallet hovering just out of reach but he didn't want to stop. Willing her to relax, he moved down to rub her foot. But she just wouldn't untense at all.  
  
At least she wasn't screaming at him.  
  
He gathered some cocky words that almost made it out but he had put a clamp on his tongue that was going to need a crowbar to undo.  
  
They came out as a "hmmmmrrrrr" noise much to his dismay.  
  
"What?" she asked, anger and hurt and confusion melted into just confusion.  
  
"Hmmmmmrrrr"  
  
She laughed nervously. Oh, that laugh unnerved him.  
  
_Go on, call me a pervert  
_  
_I see that ice in your stare, you hate me touching you  
_  
_You weren't going to take care of yourself so I did it for you. Ha stupid girl!_

He let himself look at her, trying to say without words what echoed in his mind everyday.

_Why do you fight me so much?  
_  
Just before he asked himself why, he knew. He wasn't exactly the most approachable guy to her. And felt that he could never undo the damage, it was too late. So the status quo would be maintained.  
  
The night air had the crispness of a fresh morning. The coldest time was just before dawn So he put a blanket over her, avoiding the questioning gaze. Ranma didn't see the sparkle, he didn't see how the fire he had mistaken for fury in her orbs was really something that burned hotter.  
  
A million things went on through his head and out of the million he chose silence for once. When he felt he couldn't take anymore of her baleful eyes watching him caress her foot, Ranma felt his body shift as he reached up to grab the roofing, his shoulder now protested moving.  
  
She was being really, really quiet. Just sitting there like a pert doll in her house of no worries. Same...damn...stare boring into his face.  
  
"Ranma."  
  
He caught his breath.  
  
"T-t-t....Thank you. It feels much better."  
  
His head whipped back in from the window. She did speak to him, right? Not scream?  
  
_And ..she said thank you? She said Thank you!!  
  
_The look on her face was slightly flushed, beautiful. And yet the word beautiful didn't fit. Tomboy was beautiful to him.  
  
Wow, he was feeling mushy, what a switch. But then again, that's how he always felt. One minute wanting to pound sense into her, the other this helpless spaghetti feeling.  
  
_She said Ranma was the greatest protector in the whole world! And the best ankle dresser! Oh boy oh boy did I show her! I am Mr. Masculine caring!_  
  
All he could make out was a "mmmm."  
  
_Never biting my tongue again ....no, no, no I have no tongue, its just rubber..  
  
So she knows I care....she knows! How could she not! I dont' have to say anything, she's smart enough to figure it out!_  
  
He felt so light as he looking at her upturned face. Feeling certain, she understood how he felt now, he leaned next to the bed, wanting to fly all over Nerima and straight to the moon. She was so ...cute, sitting there all content in her flowery bed. She smelled so good, he leaned in a little, unable to help himself.  
  
Her lips were so close.  
  
"Akane." He whispered.  
  
She was whispering to him, too.  
  
"Thank you, Ranma-san......but ....I'm still duct taped."  
  
._Wha- wha-wha.....that's it? That's it?!? oh man, look how close i was to kissing that..that..uncute tomboy!  
_  
His face took on a wicked grin while he twinged inside. He got the frenzied feeling of rejection from yet another never asked proposal.  
  
"Yeah, well, Next time make sure the wood falls on your thick head." He muttered and huffed outside. He listened for the wailing but it never came surprisingly.  
  
He sighed again, feeling the wieght of his actions and made his way down the hall.  
  
Catching the gleam of the setting moon was a package in the way. Why hadn't he noticed it before? He bent down and unwrapped it.

Whatever... he'd do his training in the morning and go drag that uncooperative female named Akane to the doctor.  
  
He picked up the package and went to his room.


End file.
